Archive for January, 2011

I am a little confused about Jainsem and Jain-kyrshah(pictures below). According to my little research based on asking around some local people..Jainsem is an attire which hangs loosely from the shoulders down to the ankles, and is not caught in at the waist..while Jain-kyrshah is a checkered cotton cloth knotted over one shoulder-sort of an improvised apron.

While the checkered cloth tied around the lady’s(left below) head is called a Kyrshah, and is usually worn during harvesting.

A few good examples(below) of wearing the traditional tartan patterned shawl Tapmohkhlieh. It is worn from the top, covering the head, fastened behind the neck, looping down to cover the upper part of the body, and then falling loose. Sometimes it’s folded in half which I’ve been told is not the right way to wear it. The short shawls with fringes are not Tapmokhlieh but just regular shawls, and the long ones are..umm..blankets?

Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland and Scottish kilts usually have tartan patterns, so do Tapmohkhliehs. 2nd reason why Shillong is called Scotland of the East. First is the English houses with chimneys…..

“In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer.”-Albert Camus

I spent the entire summer in Bombay and it was time to move. With intentions of going somewhere or anywhere I reached Jodhpur. Was there for a week until I got a call from Rida telling me about a place I could rent out in Shillong and so now I’m here. It’s been 10 days here and it’s amazing

Shillong is also known as Scotland of the East. It’s got a lot to do with plaids, English homes with chimneys & fireplaces, and the lakes, and beautiful people.Next up: Blanket fashion.

…still in Jodhpur(blogphorically speaking), about 30 rupees away from the railway station in to the old city near the Meherangarh Fort. The other day they said a man was only looking down from the top of the fort and fell, broke his both arms and legs, but survived. So it goes. And I’d been reading Slaughterhouse Five.

Photos are from around the shifting Clock Tower area in Sardar Bazaar where the Lonely Planet recommended Omelette man stands surrounded by sights, sounds, other omelette competitors, photographers, and occasional cows.

The only person out of place in a turbantached scheme of things.

“I write in order to attain that feeling of tension relieved and function achieved which a cow enjoys on giving milk.”